Ingots

More About Ingots

An ingot is a steel block cast into a shape suitable for further processing, with cross-sections that may be square, rectangular, polygonal, round, or oval, depending on the required profile. Ingots are created by freezing molten metal in cast iron molds. These molds play a crucial role in production, and Kesari Alloys carefully selects them based on design suitability.

Ingot molds are designed to:

• Ensure complete solidification and form a suitable grain structure, as the freezing process determines the material’s physical properties.
• Facilitate handling and downstream processing.
• Minimize liquid metal wastage, reducing manufacturing costs.

Fluted mold designs increase heat transfer due to their larger contact area. Depending on heat requirements, molds can be solid or water-cooled shells. Tapered molds help prevent cracks caused by uneven cooling, as volume changes during solidification can lead to defects. Such defects may render ingots unusable, requiring re-melting, recycling, or disposal.

In the early steel industry, ingots were cast by top pouring into tapered molds. Rectangular molds were used for rolled plates, square or round molds for bars and strips, and round or octagonal molds for forgings. For large forgings, fluted molds were preferred to minimize surface cracking risks.